Shoe-form.



W. G. RICHARDSON. SHOE FORM. APPLICATION mum 1TOV.29, 1910.

1,002,3 1 6, Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60-.WASHIN010N. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE.

WILLARD G. RICHARDSON, 0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-FORM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD O. RICHARD- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe- Forms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others versed in the art to which it appertains to make and use my said improvements.

My invention relates to hollow shoe forms lasted and shaped from any suitable sheet material and used by manufacturers and re tailers for the display of their goods, and more especially by traveling salesmen who require a form extremely light in weight yet strong enough to stand the wear and rough usage encountered in the handling of sam ples while on the road.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a form composed of as few parts as possible; second, to provide a brace or series of lateral braces at the shanks or other portions of the form, integral with the form itself so that there may be no possibility of their becoming dislodged while in use; third, to provide a brace at the ball, or other portion of the form subject to exterior pressure or knocks, which brace while giving the desired resistance will be sufficiently yielding to prevent breaking of the sides of the form at the point where said brace supports them; fourth, to provide a means of securing the form in the shoe so that it may not be accidentally removed or become dislodged therefrom after it has once been inserted.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for making my shoe-form; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my shoe-form; Fig. 3 is a bottom view thereof; Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the ball-portion of my shoe-form, showing the rear cut away; and Fig. 5 is a detached, detail view of my spring-brace.

Referring, now, in detail to the drawing: 1 designates a blank, previous to being bent up and shaped to form my device. As shown, the blank is in one piece and comprises a toe portion 2, lateral ears 3, 8, and lateral wings 4:, 4: which are bent up to form the heel of the shoe-form. In bending up the blank to make the shoe-form shown in Fig. 2, the ears 3, 3 are brought together so as to overlap, as shown in Fig. 3, and riveted. The wings 4:, 4: are also bent up to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 29, 1910.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911. Serial No. 584,756.

position shown in Fig. 2, and held together 1n any suitable manner, as by rivets (not shown). I Should my form be intended for use in an oxford, the rear thereof terminates or is cut away at the dotted line 5,,in Fig. 2.

Carried within the form and secured at one end to the upper portion of the top 2 of the form, and extending rearward and downward, is a curved leaf-spring 6, pointed at its lower end, as at 7, so as to engage the inner sole of the shoe within which the form is positioned, thus to prevent the form working out of the shoe, especially when the ballportion of the form is used. Also carried within the form, at the ball portion, and extending transversely thereof, is a spring brace, 2'. 6., a brace formed of spring material, and designated, generally, by the reference-numeral 8 in Fig. 5; said brace comprising a curved, arch portion 9, terminating, at the ends, in angular, horizontal legs 10, 10. Carried at the outer extremities of said legs are angular feet 11, 11, forming, with said legs, T-shaped members. Said feet 11, 11 carry barbs 12, 12, adapted to catch in the sides of the shoe-form, and thus hold the brace against accidental displacement when in position. The brace 8 is pivoted, centrally of the arch 9, as at 13, to the shoeform. The flanges or feet 11, 11 are important, as they present a somewhat extended bearing surface for the brace 8 against the walls of the shoe-form, and thus prevent the barbs being driven entirely through the walls of the shoe-form, which would be likely to happen were said feet not provided. It will be readily seen that the spring-brace will yield when the form is subjected to pressure at the sides, thus avoiding the breaking down of said sides of the form, which often occurs when a rigid brace is used.

Having thus fully described my invent-ion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. In a shoe-form, a brace, of spring material, carried therewithin and pivoted thereto, and comprising: an arched portion terminating in angular, horizontal arms, and feet angularly carried by said arms, and forming therewith T-shaped members.

2. In a shoe-form, a brace, of spring material, carried therewithin and pivoted thereto, and comprising: an arched portion terminating in angular, horizontal arms,

feet angularly carried by said arms, and forming thereWithT-shaped members, and barbs carried by said feet.

3. In a shoe-form, a brace, of spring material, carried therewithin, and comprising: an arched portion, pivoted centrally to said form, and terminating in angular, horizontal arms, and feet angularly carried by said arms, and forming, With said arms, T- shaped members.

4. In a shoe-form, a brace, of spring material, carried therewithin, and comprising:

an arched portion, pivoted centrally to said form, and terminating in angular, horizontal arms, feet angularly carried by said 15 arms, and forming, with said arms, T- ;haped members, and barbs carried by said eet.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two subscribing 20 Witnesses.

WILLARD c. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. Lovn'r'r, HAROLD A. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

